Saving Short Pump’s Famed Oak Tree

The fate of a cherished decades-old oak tree in the heart of Short Pump has some members of the community worried, as the construction of a new martial arts studio occurs directly in front of it.

Some citizens in the area have become attached to the tree,which is more 40 years old and has a trunk 48 inches in diameter, and are hoping the new development in the Downtown Short Pump shopping center won’t damage it.

“It’s a tree that we’ve all enjoyed for years,” said Glen Allen resident Joyce Major, one of many Short Pump residents who have viewed the tree as a landmark within the community. “The new development is blocking the tree from view so most people won’t be able to see it, and it just can’t be healthy for the tree."

The tree was known to former residents – and now many current residents in the area – as the “alligator tree,” mainly because its base resembles the head of an alligator and is admired for its nearly perfect symmetry.

Master Cho’s Tae Kwon Do and Martial Arts, a 17,000-square-foot, two-story facility, is currently under construction on 0.77 acre between the tree and Pouncey Tract Road, near Bowl America. It's expected to open in the spring.

Despite the concerns of some in the community, Henrico County planning officials and the owner of the martial arts studio believe they've taken extra care to ensure the tree's longevity.

“We fought to keep the tree there,” said Three Chopt District Planning Commissioner Tommy Branin, whose district includes the site. The tree sits on land that has been owned by a local developer for 50 years. Officials from the planning commission met with the developer last year to request that the tree be saved, Branin said. The county previously had no official control over the fate of the tree because it was located on private property with no development conditions or restrictions that related to the tree.

Though the site already was zoned for commercial use, the Planning Commission had to approve a plan of development for the project. The commission negotiated proffers – development agreements – with the owners of the martial arts facility and their representatives in order to help save the tree from any possible harm during or after development, Branin said. Officials undertook other efforts, as well.

“An arborist came prior to construction and did tests and checked the health of the tree throughout the project,” Branin said. Safeguards have been put up around it for protection, and an arborist will return after construction is complete to check the status of the tree.

Henrico County Recreation and Parks director Karen Mier recommended in a letter to planning officials in August 2009 that the tree be protected, noting that it could be recommended for a heritage tree protection designation in the future.

“Developers have taken the proper precautions needed in order to protect the tree,” said David O’Kelly, assistant director of planning for the county.

Not everyone in Short Pump realized that the tree was being encroached upon by development.

“This is the first I’m hearing of it,” said Norwood Nuckols, the Association for the Preservation of Henrico Antiquities liaison for the Henrico County Historical Society Executive Board. “We would be concerned; we don’t want [anything] to happen" to the tree.

Alana Cho, owner of the martial arts studio, has planned to save the tree from the very beginning.

“We designed the building around the tree, and signs are up around it stating that it will not be harmed,” said Cho. The facility will have large windows built in all around the facility with views of the tree, according to Cho.

An orange flexible fence has gone up around the tree for protection while the construction is underway. When Cho purchased the property several years ago, there was nothing there but an empty parking lot, land and the tree.

“We didn’t want it to die so we’ve irrigated it all summer,” said Cho. Before settling on the Pouncey Tract location, Cho had looked at several other spaces including Town Center West and West Broad Village shopping centers but was turned down by developers.

“They were upset about the number of people that would be coming to our building with the amount of parking spaces available,” said Cho. She stressed that she’s happy people are concerned about the tree and indicated that protecting it was a key part of her decision to open a new location on the site.

Despite the precautions being taken to protect the special landmark, Major wondered what's to become of the region in the years ahead.

RAMPS (Ramp Access Made Possible by Students) recently received an $8,000 grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The award was one of 75 grants totaling more than $600,137 awarded by the Reeve Foundation to nonprofit organizations nationwide that provide more opportunities, access, and daily quality of life for individuals living with paralysis, their families and caregivers.

RAMPS, an organization founded by then-Henrico County high school students to build ramps for local low-income residents who need them, will use the grant to purchase modular wheelchair ramp supplies. These supplies will be used by local high school RAMPS clubs, who provide volunteers to build the ramps. > Read more.

Henrico resident Larry Loving, Jr., will compete with three other locals – Thomas Scribner (Richmond), Roscoe McGhee (Midlothian) and Larry Loving (Richmond) in the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational National Finals at TPC Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Feb. 26-Mar. 1. The foursome qualified for the national golf tournament by winning the Liberty Mutual Insurance Invitational, held at Whiskey Creek Golf Club in Ijamsville, Md. on June 11. That event supported the RiteCare Center for Childhood Language Disorders.

The Henrico Police Athletic League (PAL) held its Sixth Annual Awards Banquet Feb. 5 at The Cultural Arts Center of Glen Allen, celebrating accomplishments of 2014 and recognizing outstanding contributions to the organization. Henrico County Juvenile Domestic Court Judge Denis Soden served as master of ceremonies and former Harlem Globetrotter Melvin Adams served as keynote speaker.

Among the 2014 honorees were Richmond International Raceway (Significant Supporter), Richmond Strikers Soccer Club (Significant Supporter), Henrico County Schools-Pupil Transportation (Summer Camp Supporter), Bruce Richardson, Jr. (Youth of the Year), Sandra Williams (Volunteer of the Year), Thomas Williams (Employee of the Year), Mikki Pleasants (Board Member of the Year), and Michelle Sheehan (Police Officer of the Year). > Read more.

It was another win for Willow Lawn when Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar opened there six months ago, nestled in the heart of the re-made shopping center. The contemporary American Italian restaurant boasts 13 locations up and down the East Coast, with the Henrico location opening in August.

In the same week, I hit up Travinia twice, once for lunch and once for a late dinner. At lunchtime on a weekday, I was overwhelmed by the smell of garlic and by the number of working professionals in nice suits on their lunch breaks. When we first walked in, I was concerned our meal would be a little too pricey based on the décor – it’s a really nice place. Luckily, the menu has a variety of options for every budget. > Read more.

There’s a ton of sugar in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. Literal sugar, as SpongeBob Squarepants (Tom Kenny) and Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) inhale their own weight in cotton candy and eat ice cream, one scoop per mouthful.

At one point we burrow into the brain of our boxy yellow hero and discover the inner workings of his brain: googly-eyed cakes and candies that giggle and sing. All of which is extremely appropriate for a film like Sponge Out of Water. Because not only is the movie sweet (the “awwww” kind of sweet), but it’s the equivalent of a 30-candy bar sugar rush, zipping between ideas like a sponge on rocket skates.

The story under all this is really not that complicated. SpongeBob flips burgers at the Krusty Krab. > Read more.

With this last round of snow still fresh on the ground, the best way to start the weekend may be at Southern Season for their weekly wine-tasting program, Fridays Uncorked. Families with cabin fever will enjoy the Richmond Kids Expo, taking place tomorrow at the Richmond Raceway Complex. Some date night options include the Rock & Roll Jubilee at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, HATTheatre’s production of “The Whale” and National Theatre Live’s “Treasure Island” at the University of Richmond. For all our top picks this weekend, click here! > Read more.